Sunday, July 25, 2010

I've found my happy again. It is truly amazing how it visits us and then leaves. Maybe we need the periods of depression to trampoline us back up into the happy. Each time I get down I think, "this is the last time. I'm going to feel like this forever". And then I don't. Thank goodness for that.

One thing that doesn't show in the photos is the use of reflective and matte surfaces I like to use on the journal page. This is black embossing powder on a carved stamp. I like the contrast to the matte paper.

No matter the mood I always feel better with a good dose of color.

These happy little vases hardly show up in the previous photo but here you see I've highlighted them with tar gel. They twinkle on the page and that makes me happy.

I shot this page last night and then wrote some more on it this morning.

July has been wonderful in the Pacific Northwest. Weeks now of sunshine and mild temperatures. Actually perfect. In the past July was my busiest month with the Bellevue fair this weekend. But now I get to have BBQ's and enjoy the summer with normal people. I'm appreciating that.

I've been looking at old photographs on Shorpy's site. When did we stop wearing big bows in our hair? This week I learned to tie a scarf on my head in several new ways. That made me smile.

I'm going to the store now to get the makings for German Potato Salad to take to a big outdoor neighborhood wing ding at our friends' place down the country road. I'll try to get you some shots; these people have a gorgeous farm. Vaya con Dios.

Friday, July 16, 2010

The woman paints and writes while the man goes on his solitary rounds in the garden. We are each busy is our tiny fiefdoms; after I show you my latest journal pages I'll show you the garden.

This is a summer unlike any before it. I can feel the great wheel of change turning and all my old solutions falling away. The problem is what next. The answer is unknown. Certainly I will teach again starting this fall but not as often and to smaller classes. I have missed teaching this week. I am ready to return now.

So here we have taters, tomatoes, the big apple tree and the Douglas firs that border our property.

The rose that grew up out of the root stock that supported Touch of Class. I can't bear to prune it off. I am a sucker for suckers.

The peaches are not as prolific as in past years so we'll have to treasure them even more. They are coming along.

Spider Mums. When I painted watercolors these were among my favorites to draw. I love to draw twisting, reaching things.

Lavender. Crush it in my hand as I walk the garden in the dewy morning. My hands smell good all day.

The gentle farmer and his onions, pepper plants in their little houses so they don't mix pollen. The walnut orchard in the background. The farmer put up a new chain link fence to keep the deer out and it's working but now we have wild rabbits and skunks that dig up the tomatoes.

It's been the year of cherries. This variety is Northstar and it is deep red all the way through. It is a pie cherry but not so sour as most. I can eat it raw and I don't usually like sour things.

Borage. Fuzzy, edible, friendly borage. The bees love it though so you have to be careful.

Blueberries. Lots and lots of blueberries.

The blueberries are huge as you can see by comparing them to John's hands.

More comparisons. Big big Matalija poppy.

Lace leaf hydrangeas. I love hydrangeas and other blue flowers.

Green tomatoes. We've had a few ripe ones but the best is yet to come.

The mystery rose. A huge bush now that we started as a cutting after capturing it on a country ride.

Another variety of hydrangea. John humors me; these are not his favorite flowers. He thinks blue is a weird color for a flower.

Those little plants in front of the beans are all different varieties of basil. As in YUM.

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Judy Wise is an Oregon artist and teacher who has worked as a printmaker and painter for four decades. She has exhibited and taught in the USA, Mexico, Australia, Indonesia, Spain and the Netherlands.
Follow her on Instagram at judywiseart